Adjustable headband



Aug. 27, 1940. BQWERS 2,213,118

ADJUS TABLE HEADBAND Filed March 16, 1959 INVENTOR. I fiaage/cz M ffiwvpea BY I l V I. D,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 27, 1940 I z',z13,11s

ADJUSTABLE HEADBAND Frederick M. Bowers, Chester, Pa, assignor to The Fibre-Metal Products Company, Chester, Pa., a partnership consisting of Charles E. Bowers and John W. Bowers Application-March 16, 1939, Serial No. 262,095

' 3 Claims.

This invention has to do with adjustable headbands and is concerned primarily with headbands which are employed in conjunction with welding helmets and similar protective devices.

it As a general rule an adjustable headband is included in the construction of a welding helmet or similar protective device to provide the base on which the helmet is pivoted as it is swung into and out of eifective position. This factor, 10 together with the comparative massive construction of welding helmets, requires an accurate and snug fit of the headband about the wearer's head. To the end of providing for this snug fit the headband is rendered adjustable, and this" inven- 35 tion has in view as its foremost objective the provision of an improved adjustable headband of the character above noted .in which simplicity of construction has been attained to a marked degree and at the same time nicety of adjustgg ment is provided for and assuredness, had that the band will stay in an adjusted position.

In view of the requirements for the snug fit on the wearers head, it is important that the inner face of the headband which engages the wearers head be free from any projections or protuberances. Accordingly this invention provides improvements in a headband in which the extremities of a strip which ordinarily encompasses the wearers head are received in a flatge tened out tubular casing in overlapping relation.

The invention has in view as an important objeCt the provision of the headband together with means for maintaining the ends of the said strip 3@ in any position to which they might be adjusted. More in detail, the invention has in view as a further object the provision of the casing receiving the ends of the strip in overlapping relation together with a shank element that extends through an opening in the outer wall of the casing and has one end anchored within the casing. This shank is provided with a threaded bore and a screw stem is threaded into this bore, said screw stem having a head adapted to engage (15 the outer wall of the casing to effect a clamped or locked condition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a headband of the character above noted in which the overlapping ends of the strip are so formed with slots through which said shank passes. to provide the shank with parallel sides that engage the sides of the said slots to hold the shank against rotation. 55 Still another object of the invention is to prolapping ends.

An important phase of the invention is vide' an adjustable headband of the character above noted in which the shank is provided with a'flat head or enlargement that engages one of the overlapping ends to anchor one end'oi the shank in the casing. 5

With' the arrangement above described, a shank may be employed that is very short and the outer end of which lies substantially flush or extends only a short distance beyond the outer casing wall. Thus, assembly of the shank with. 10 the overlapping ends and within the casing in the manner .aforesald is greatly facilitated.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated, as the description of '15 the invention proceeds.

The invention therefore comprises an adjustable headband including a strip adapted to encompass a wearer's head and having free ends in overlapping relation, and which free ends are reas ceived in a tubular casing. A shank has one end anchored within the casing by having a head engaging one of the overlapping ends of the strips. This shank has parallel faces that engage the side edges of slots-formed in the overgg The shank passes through these slots and through an opening in the outer casing wall, the end of the shank projecting only a slight distance beyond the face of the outer casing wall. A screw stem is threaded into said til shank and has a head which engages the outer casing wall, or a washer that is urged against the outer casing wall, to effect a clamped relationship in which the overlapping ends are maintained in adjusted position. Adjustment of he the overlapping ends is permitted by loosening the screw member.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawas mg, wherein v Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable headband made in accordance with the precepts of this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevational showing develop- 45 referred to in its entirety by the reference character B. This band B includes a strip ID that is designed to encompass a wearer's head and which strip has free ends H and i2 that are disposed in side by side overlapping relation. The end portion II is provided with a slot l3, whilev the end portion I2 is also provided with a similar slot. When the end portions II and I! are arranged in side by side overlapping relation within a casing shown at ll, the slots l3 are in alignment. At this pointit is well to note while any preferred material may be employed in the manufacturing of the headband B, the invention has particularly in View the use of a fibrous material that is susceptible of being molded while moist as the material from which the strip l0 and casing ll are made.

This casing I4 is curved to conform with the shape of the wearer's head and presents an inner wall l5 that is smooth and substantially free from any projections or protuberances. The casing also includes an outer wall l6 that is formed with an opening I! substantially centrally thereof.

- Referring at the moment more particularly to Figures 3 and 4, a shank member is referred to in its entirety by the reference character S and is shown as including a shank l8 having a threaded bore l9 and provided with a relatively thin flat head 20. It is desirable that the shank l8 have parallel faces which engage the edges of the slots l3. Thus, the shank 18 takes a form which provides such faces. The square which is clearly shown at Figure 2 will provide the desired results.

The shank S is positioned with the head 20 disposed between the inner wall l 5 of the casing and the end portion l2. The shank I8 extends through the slot l3 in the manner aforesaid and through the opening H with the end of the shank l8 projecting only a slight distance beyond the face of the outer wall l6. Thus, when one end of the shank is securely anchored within one end of the casing, the shank is held against rotation and a desired relationship with the overlapping ends II and I2 is established. Due to the shortness of the shank, the same is readily assembled in the casing, evenwhen the same has assumed its finally set state. Obviously, the walls l5 and I1 may be slightly dilated to permit positioning of this shank member. a

A screw member is shown as including a screw stem 2| and a head 22 which may be provided with a knurled surface as illustrated to facilitate operation. The screw stem 2| is intended to be received in the threaded bore l9 so that the overlapping ends H and I2 may be clamped against the outer casing wall 16 to hold the same in an adjusted position. Rather than have the head 22 engage the outer wall IS in effecting this clamped relationship, a washer, such as shown at 23, may be interposed between the head 22 and the casing wall i6. Obviously, this washer 23 encircles the shank l8.

When the headband B is to be adjusted to fit the size of a particular wearer's head, the screw member is loosened by rotating the head 22 in a counter-clockwise direction. The end portions II and i2 may now be moved relative to each other until the required size is obtained, such movement being permitted by the slots l3. When the required size is obtained, the screw member is now tightened by rotating in an opposite direction whereupon the engagement of the shank gagement with the head- 22 with the washer 23 on the other securely clamps the overlapping ends II and I2 against the outer casing wall l6; thus, the adjusted size is maintained.

The above described construction is particularly advantageous in that it is highly simplified and yet it in no way interferes with the smooth inner casing wall free from projections which engages the wearers head. Moreover, the extreme nicety as to the size to which the band is adjustable is .permissable, there being no detent points,

ratchets, or similar clearly defined points at which the device must be locked.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that I am not to be limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable headband of the character described comprising a casing having an inner head contacting wall and an outer wall having an aperture therein, a head encompassing strip having overlapping and relatively adjustable end portions encased by said casing, a shank having a head in said casing between said overlapping ends and said inner wall and a threaded bore in alignment with said aperture, a headed clamping screw having a threaded stem screwed in said bore with said overlapping ends and said outer wall being clamped between the said shank head and the head of said screw, and means for preventing rotation of said shank relative to said casing and ends.

2. An adjustable headband of the character described comprising a casing having an inner head contacting wall and an outer wall having an aperture therein, a head encompassing strip ,having overlapping and relatively adjustable end portions encased by said casing. said overlapping ends being formed with elongated slots, portions of which are in alignment with said aperture, a shank having a head in said casing between said overlapping ends and said inner wall and extending through said slots, said shank having a face engaging the edge of one of said slots to prevent rotation between said shank and said overlapping ends, said shank having a threaded bore in alignment with said aperture, a headed clamping screw having a headed stem screwed in said bore with said overlapping ends and said outer wall being clamped between the said shank head and the head of said screw.

3. An adjustable headband of the character described comprising a casing having an inner head contacting wall and an outer wall having an aperture therein, a head encompassing strip having overlapping and relatively adjustable end portions encased by said casing, a shank having a head in said casing between said overlapping ends and said inner wall and a threaded bore in alignment with said aperture, a clamping screw having a head and a threaded stem screwed into said bore, a washer about said stem and interposed between the head of said clamping screw and said outer wall, said overlapping ends, outer wall and washer being clamped between the said shank head and the said head of said screw, and means for preventing rotation of said shank relative to said casing and ends. 

